https://www.flickr.com/photos/joe_bunik/sets/72157667527929894
I don't think there could have been a weekend any better - my mind
will be replaying this one on repeat for the foreseeable future! What
a GREAT time and particular thanks go out to the Jacquie P. / David E.
/ Jim W. / Hugh S. quad-fecta for making this thing happen in the
first place.
I thought I'd only be able to swing up there for a short visit
sometime Saturday at best but, thanks to both my fabulous wife's
enablement and Esteban's encouragement, I knocked off early Friday,
got my bag together, and hit the road for Marin.
The West Point Inn is a 1904-era alpine lodge high up Mt. Tamalpais
and only accessible by trail. Individual accommodations can be
arranged, but thanks to incomparable WPI member Jacquie Phelan, we had
the entire facility at our disposal. As the gang drifted into camp on
Friday night, we enjoyed a great feed, good imbibement, and fine
company.
I dare say if the evening ended warm, Saturday dawned HOT - and, early
- most of the cabins and the main building are eastward-oriented
facing the SF Bay and thus little shelter from a 5:30am sunrise. Where
was the fog, and why had it been replaced with a breeze that felt like
a hot hair dryer?
The best thing about having 25-30 people ready to go, a quiver of
bikes available, and no hard agendas whatsoever was that splintering
into 4 or 5 different riding groups felt totally fine. I had brought
my Legolas, which I am always happy with on fire roads but a bit less
sure of on technical/MTB-level descents (x42 Conti "Cross" tires just
grazing the chainstays when the frame flexes) - so, I will need come
back on something else to test the run-out on Eldridge Grade (though I
heard afterwards it may have recently been leveled out some).
Jim W., Esteban, Joe #2, and myself (all of us mid-size tire riders)
opted for the ridgeline, ocean views of the Seven Sisters / BoFax
pavement descent to Alpine Dam, where we branched onto the old flume
road in the Lagunitas Creek canyon heading down towards Kent Lake.
This fine track had some major mojo, and we agreed we'd made the right
choice! The bill for all that descending came due upon arrival at the
junction w/ Old Vee Rd., which was a triple chevron death march
up-and-out to the next ridge. Throw in some stretches of blasting sun
and those goddam biting horse flies only adding to the fun.
Finally, we reached the open roads which would take us north into a
more rolling hilltop and valley terrain, with several stretches of
exposed boulder gardens for good measure. We left a decision of
whether or not to pursue the Pine Mountain Truck Rd. loop TBD upon
arrival. Far off across the valley, we spotted at least 3 suspicious
characters (isn't that Manny wearing his red onesie?) climbing - or
wait, are they walking? - up the grade we surmised must be PMTR. Dang,
they'd beaten us to the next crossroads - and hence our paths wouldn't
cross until later on in Fairfax. It was only getting later and hotter,
so we decided to forego this latter half of Hugh's "Dirty Middle
Route" and instead explore the northern San Geronimo Ridge fireroads
that lead up to nice singletrack on White's Hill.
Passing Repack Rd., a cryptic chalk mark was placed in hopes of
greeting/baffling Hugh's Rough Riders when they eventually made their
way around the loop. Moving northward out of MMWD lands, more rocks
encountered until finally we were back in the woods and the soil. We
could almost smell lunch cooking at the brewery just over the ridge.
Skirting Tamarancho on a nicely groomed, steep trail descending
through redwoods closed out the first half of the day as we rolled
into Fairfax. While Jim Warren intercepted Doug P. @ the Mountain Bike
museum, Esteban and I quaffed multiple iced espressos where I hear it
was pinging 95° in the shade of town.
Lunch! A mighty lunch it was!!! Right on queue, Hugh's Rough Riders
appeared fresh off their Repack Rd. descent just as the beers were
served. It all becomes hazy until I awoke in the air-conditioned
recovery room of the MMB/MBHOF where the Breeze family hosted our
filthy mob for quite some time. An amazing collection which I will
definitely return to and peruse even closer. And then, Phil Williamson
rolled in the door...
I won the underdog vote for leading a B-route return to camp, going
back via Bolinas-Fairfax Rd. to Lake Alpine, closing the balloon we
began earlier. Heading west on BoFax makes for a long steady climb,
but hey- it's closed to cars (for now), is in the shade, and is just
totally beautiful the whole way up. Back past all the famous locations
we finally made it to Pantoll camp where the trail back to WPI breaks
off. This now-familiar, flowy homestretch was the icing on the cake to
a great day in the saddle.
Dinner and refreshment were had and then it was quick to bed - much
earlier than the previous night. Unfortunately I was completely wired
(those goddam coffees!) and my room upstairs in the main lodge was
insufferably hot and still. At 2am I relocated to the couch in the
grand room downstairs where finally some sleep was found.
Sunday offered another early repeat to the fine company and
conversations, with reflections on the nature of the event and what
had brought us all together in this unique place. Decampment time
arrived far too soon, and as we each rode off in our own directions I
was already checking my calendar for the next window of opportunity.
Until we meet again folks,
=- Joe Bunik
Walnut Creek, CA
On 6/26/16, dstein <
davec...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Awesome photos, they tell plenty!
>
> Good times, can't wait to do it again.
>